Prince of Gui of Ming dynasty

Prince of Gui (Chinese: 桂王), was a first-rank princely peerage used during Ming dynasty, this peerage title was created by Wanli Emperor. The first Prince of Gui was Zhu Changying, 7th son of Wanli Emperor. This peerage had 6 cadet commandery princely peerages, all of these second-rank peerages had not inherited. The last Southern Ming emperor, Zhu Youlang (Yongli Emperor) was a member of this peerage.

Prince of Gui 桂王
Creation date	1601
Monarch	Wanli Emperor
Peerage	1st-rank princely peerage for imperial son of Ming Dynasty
First holder	Zhu Changying, Prince Duan
Last holder	Name unknown (the 4th prince)
Status	Extinct
Extinction date	1662
Seat(s)	Hengzhou (nowadays Hengyang)

Generation name / poem

As members of this peerage were descentants of the Yongle Emperor, their generation poem was:-

"Gao Zhan Qi Jian You, Hou Zai Yi Chang You. Ci He Yi Bo Zhong, Jian Jing Di Xian You"
高瞻祁見祐，厚載翊常由。慈和怡伯仲，簡靖迪先猷

This peerage used the poem until Ci (慈) generation.

Members

• Zhu Changying (朱常瀛; 1597 - 21 Dec 1645; 1st), Wanli Emperor's 7th son. He held the title of Prince of Gui in 1601 from his father. He took his fief in 1627. After Zhang Xianzhong attacked his fief, he brought his surviving family escaped to Guangxi. He later died and buried at Wuzhou. After his 4th son, Zhu Youlang enthroned as Southern Ming's emperor, Zhu Youlang posthumously honored as emperor under the temple name "Lizong" (禮宗) and posthumous name "Emperor Titian Changdao Zhuangyi Wenghong Xingwen Xuanwu Renzhi Chengxiao Duan" (體天昌道莊毅溫弘興文宣武仁智誠孝端皇帝). His original posthumous name is: Prince Duan of Gui (桂端王)
  • 1st son: Name unknown, hereditary prince (prince's heir apparent), Zhu Changying's eldest son who died prematurely.
  • 2nd son: Name unknown, designated as his father's hereditary prince after his eldest brother died. Zhu Youlang posthumously honoured him as Prince of Gui under the posthumous title "Prince Wen of Gui" (桂閔王)
  • 3rd son: Zhu You'ai (朱由𣜬; before 1623 - 1646, 2nd), he initially held the title of a commandery prince under the title of Comm. Prince of Anren (安仁郡王). He succeeded the title of Prince of Gui from 1645 to 1646. He died at Guangxi. Full posthumous name: Prince Gong of Gui (桂恭王)
    • Name unknown (died 1662, 4th & last), he succeeded the title of Prince of Gui from after Zhu Youlang enthroned.
  • 4th son: Zhu Youlang (3rd), he initially held the title of a commandery prince under the title of Comm. Prince of Yongming (永明郡王). He succeeded the title of Prince of Gui in 1646. After he enthroned, the peerage was succeeded by Zhu You'ai's son.
  • 5th son: Zhu Youzhan (朱由榐), held the title of a commandery prince under the title of Comm. Prince of Yongxing (永兴郡王). He was died in chaos.
  • 6th son: Name unknown, died in chaos. He was posthumously bestowed as "Comm. Prince of Xintian" (新田郡王) during Longwu's reign.
  • 7th son: Name unknown, died in chaos. He was posthumously bestowed as "Comm. Prince of Jianghua" (江华郡王) during Longwu's reign.
  • 8th son: Name unknown, died prematurely. He was posthumously bestowed as "Comm. Prince of Jiashan" (嘉善郡王) during Longwu's reign.